Thursday, October 22, 2009

Control Operator of a Club Station - Call Signs and FCC Rules

Are there any FCC Part 97 junkies out there?

I have a question regarding the control operator of a club station, hence the subject. I have the 12th edition of The ARRL's FCC Rule Book and looked in there under "club call sign" and "control operator" and I haven't been able to answer my question:

Does the operator (or operators) of a club station have to use the club call sign?

I know that the operator(s) must stay within their operator class privileges unless the control operator has a higher class license, in which case the operator would be operating under 3ord party regulations when operating outside of his/her license class and under the class of the control operator. On the other side, if the club license is a lower license class than the control operator then the control operator must append the club call with his/her call when operating outside of the privileges of the club license by adding their call to the club call - such as KD8XYZ/KC8QVO (where KD8XYZ is a technician, for example, and I am an Extra).

However, there is no mention of what call sign is to be used at a club station - whether the club call must be used or if the control operator can use his/her call while operating the club station. Would it be OK if I was to operate a club station with my call sign? Or do I need to use the club call/KC8QVO if I want to use my call sign? Or do I just use the club call?

Every time I have used our club station I use the club call, but there are others that use the club station so I want to make sure everyone is operating within the FCC regulations. Since this isn't spelled out directly I am guessing it is a non-issue, but I would rather be safe and find out.